Vehicle bow top clip

ABSTRACT

A device or system for use in vehicles, such as jeeps, having soft tops. The device or system may include a bow top clip which is configured to engage with, mount on, or secure to a portion of the vehicle, such as the roll bar cage. To help prevent the vehicle soft top from flapping, the vehicle bow top clip is configured to receive and hold a crossbar member.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

In accordance with 37 C.F.R. 1.76, a claim of priority is included in anApplication Data Sheet filed concurrently herewith. Accordingly, thepresent invention claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent ApplicationNo. 62/963,821, entitled “VEHICLE BOW TOP CLIP”, filed Jan. 21, 2020.The contents of the above referenced application are incorporated hereinby reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is related to vehicle parts; to an automobile bowtop clip; and more particularly, to a bow top clip for use with softtops; to a vehicle bow top clip securable to a roll bar cage of a jeep.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Off road vehicles, such as jeeps, are popular vehicles for riding inoff-road terrains and on traditional modern, paved streets. Such jeepshave the advantage of being made with a soft top or hard top. While hardtops may have the advantage of being more secure and more durable, oneof the main advantages of a soft top is the ease of removal, allowingthe user to have an open air top when the weather is nice. In addition,since soft tops are easily removable and foldable, large items may betransported with ease.

One of the disadvantages of soft tops is that, due to lack of support,they are subjectable to some form of top flapping at high speeds, suchas highway speeds of 55 MPH or greater. While factory installed softtops tend to experience less top flapping, all soft tops will experiencethis phenomenon. Many aftermarket soft tops experience this effect moreso than factory installed soft tops. The flapping effect may also bemore pronounced with “bikini” tops, those covers having materials tocover the top only, no sides. As such, there exists a need to prevent orminimize top flapping for vehicles, such as jeeps, that use soft tops.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention includes a device or system for use in vehicles,such as jeeps, having soft tops. The device or system may include a clipwhich is configured to engage with, mount on, or secure to a portion ofthe vehicle, such as the roll bar cage. To help prevent the vehicle softtop from flapping, this vehicle clip is configured to receive and hold acrossbar member, referred to as a bow.

Accordingly, it is an objective of the invention to provide a vehiclebow top clip.

It is yet another objective of the invention to provide a vehicle bowtop clip configured to prevent or minimize vehicle soft top flappingwhen the vehicle is traveling at high speeds.

It is a further objective of the invention to provide a bow top clip foruse in vehicles that have a soft top.

It is yet another objective of the invention to provide a vehicle bowtop clip which engages with, mounts on, or secures to at least a portionof a vehicle that has a soft top.

It is a still further objective of the invention to provide a vehiclebow top clip which engages with, mounts on, or secures to at least aportion of a vehicle roll cage.

It is yet another objective of the instant invention to provide avehicle bow top clip which engages with, mounts on, or secures to atleast a portion of a roll bar cage of a jeep.

Other objectives and advantages of this invention will become apparentfrom the following description taken in conjunction with anyaccompanying drawings wherein are set forth, by way of illustration andexample, certain embodiments of this invention. Any drawings containedherein constitute a part of this specification, include exemplaryembodiments of the present invention, and illustrate various objects andfeatures thereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1A is a front perspective view of an embodiment of a vehicle bowtop clip;

FIG. 1B illustrates the vehicle bow top clip illustrated in FIG. 1A,shown without channels cut across a surface;

FIG. 2 is an alternative view of the vehicle bow top clip illustrated inFIG. 1A;

FIG. 3 is a back perspective view of the vehicle bow top clip;

FIG. 4 is a right side view of the vehicle bow top clip;

FIG. 5A is a front view of the vehicle bow top clip;

FIG. 5B is a back view of the vehicle bow top clip;

FIG. 6A illustrates the vehicle bow top clip with the crossbar memberhousing unit comprising a screw boss feature;

FIG. 6B illustrates the screw boss feature with the crossbar member;

FIG. 7 is a right side view of the vehicle bow top clip, shown with anattachment member;

FIG. 8 is a left side perspective view of the vehicle bow top clip,shown with an attachment member;

FIG. 9 illustrates the vehicle bow top clip with bow secured thereto;

FIG. 10 is an illustrative embodiment of the bow;

FIG. 11 is a partial exploded view of the vehicle bow top clip;

FIG. 12 illustrates a partial view of the vehicle bow top clip securedto a roll bar cage of a jeep; and

FIG. 13 illustrates a jeep with the soft top removed to show two vehiclebow top clips with a crossbar member secured thereto secured to a rollbar cage of the jeep.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

While the present invention is susceptible of embodiment in variousforms, there is shown in the drawings and will hereinafter be describeda presently preferred, albeit not limiting, embodiment with theunderstanding that the present disclosure is to be considered anexemplification of the present invention and is not intended to limitthe invention to the specific embodiments illustrated.

The present invention includes a device or system that addresses theissues related to the use of soft tops in vehicles. While the device orsystem may be described in relation to use with a vehicle, such as ajeep, such device or system may be applicable to other vehicles.Referring to FIGS. 1A and 2-6 , an illustrative example of a bow topclip for use with vehicle soft tops, referred to generally as a vehiclebow top clip 10, is illustrated. The vehicle bow top clip 10 comprises afirst end 12, a second opposing end 14, and a main body 16 extending thedistance between the first end 12 and the second end 14. The vehicle bowtop clip main body 16 has an outer surface 18 and an inner surface 20,see FIG. 3 or FIG. 4 . The outer surface 18 is defined as the surfacenot in contact with a portion of the vehicle, i.e. the roll bar in ajeep, when the vehicle bow top clip 10 is secured thereto. The innersurface 20 is defined as the surface which is in contact with a portionof the vehicle, i.e. the roll bar in a jeep, when the vehicle bow topclip 10 is secured thereto.

The vehicle bow top clip main body 16 is designed to engage with, mounton, or secure to at least a portion of a vehicle. As such, the vehiclebow top clip main body 16 may be designed to mirror the shape of theportion of the vehicle it engages with, mounts on, or secures to. Thevehicle bow top clip main body 16 may be curved, such as having aconcave curvature 22, thus assuming a C-shape or partial C-shape. Thecurvature 22 of the vehicle bow top clip main body 16 may be designed tohave the same shape or curvature of the vehicle portion, such as theroll bar that the top clip main body 16 engages with, mounts on, orsecures to. The vehicle bow top clip main body 16 may be made of aflexible or semi-flexible material, such as a plastic material, that canbe used with roll bars of different sizes.

The top clip main body 16 may contain at least one, but preferablymultiple cut outs or channels/grooves 24. Each of the channels 24 aresized to extend from a first main body side 26 to a second main bodyside 28 (see FIG. 3 ). Each of the top clip main body cut outs orchannels 24 allow for flexing or extending over large or small rollbars, padded roll bars, or other portions of the vehicle which engagewith, mount on, or secure to the vehicle bow top clip 10. While thevehicle bow top clip 10 is shown having multiple top clip main body cutouts or channels 24, such embodiment is illustrative only. FIG. 1B showsan embodiment of the vehicle bow top clip 10 without channels cut acrossthe outer surface 18 of the top clip main body 16.

While the vehicle bow top clip 10 may be designed to be friction fit orsnap fit onto a portion of the vehicle, other mechanisms may be used.FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate the vehicle bow top clip 10 with a securingmember 30. The securing member 30 is illustrated as a strip of material32 having loop 34 and hook 36 fastening members, such as VELCRO, seeFIG. 7 . Two portions of the strip of material 32 may be held togetherwith the use of a slotted clasp 38, see FIG. 8 . Cut into the top clipmain body 16 are two securing member receiving slots, 40 and 42, seeFIG. 1 , FIG. 5A, or FIG. 5B. The securing member receiving slots, 40and 42, are sized and shaped to receive and hold in place portions ofthe securing member 30. In an illustrative embodiment, the securingmember receiving slot 40 is positioned above a cross member receivingstructure 44 and the securing member receiving slot 42 is positionedbelow the crossbar receiving structure 44, see FIG. 1A. While the stripof material 32 is described as using loop 34 and hook 36 fasteningmembers, other fastening members such as buttons/slots, snaps, orclasps, or mechanisms known to one of skill in the art.

To help prevent the soft top from flapping, the vehicle bow top clip 10is configured to receive and hold a crossbar member 46, illustratedherein as a bow 48, see FIGS. 9-11 . The bow 48 has a first end 50, asecond opposing end 52, and a bow main body 54. While the bow 48 isillustrated as having a rectangular shape, other shapes may be used,such as but not limited to having a round shape. The bow main body 54has a length defined by the distance between or separating the bow firstend 50 and the bow second end 52. The crossbar member is configured tofit into and rest within the cross member receiving structure 44.Referring to FIG. 2 , the cross member receiving structure 44 comprisesa cross member housing unit 56 which extends outwardly or away from theouter surface 18. The crossbar member housing unit 56 comprises aslotted opening 58 sized and shaped to receive at least a portion of thecrossbar member 46. The crossbar member 46 is received and held withinan interior region 60. The crossbar member 46 is preferably made of aflexible or bendable material.

While the vehicle bow top clip 10 is illustrated with the crossbarreceiving structure crossbar member housing unit 56 having a slottedopening 58 sized and shaped to receive at least a portion of thecrossbar member 46, other structural components known to one of skillmay in the art may be sued as well. FIG. 6A illustrates the vehicle bowtop clip 10 with the crossbar member housing unit 56 comprising a bossfeature, illustrated herein as a screw boss 55 with one or more screwchannels 57. The screw boss screw channels 57 may be sized and shaped toreceive screws 59 (or other fastening structures) that are part of thecrossbar member 46, see FIG. 6B. Other structural components mayinclude, for example, a twist lock feature. In addition to the crossbarmember 46/bow 48, other structures, such as a grab handle 61 withcorresponding screws 63, a fire extinguisher 65 with a fire extinguishermount 67 having corresponding screws 69, or a hook 71 with correspondingscrew 73, may be secured to the vehicle bow top clip 10 as well. Suchadditional structures may also be configured to fit or mate with thecrossbar member housing unit 56 having the slotted opening 58 asdescribed above.

FIG. 12 is a partial view of the vehicle bow top clip 10 secured, viasecuring member 30, to a jeep roll bar 62A. As shown, the bow main body54 is inserted into the crossbar member housing unit 56 and held withinslotted opening 58 of the cross member receiving structure 44, restingwithin the cross member receiving structure interior region 60. In thisposition, the bow main body 54 is in contact with or pushing up againsta jeep soft top 64. Preferably, the size of the bow main body 54 issufficient so that, when inserted, it flexes or bows upwardly againstthe soft top 64.

FIG. 13 illustrates a jeep 66 with the soft top 64 removed. In use, twoof the vehicle bow top clips 10 are used and engage with, mount on, orsecure to roll bar 62A and roll bar 62B. The bow main body 54 is placedso the first end 50 is inserted into the cross member receivingstructure 44 secured to roll bar 62A and the second end 52 is insertedinto the cross member receiving structure 44 secured to roll bar 62B. Ina preferred embodiment, the bow main body 54 has a length that is longerthan the distance between roll bars 62A and 62B so as to promote bendingor flexing in order to bow upwardly.

It is to be understood that while a certain form of the invention isillustrated, it is not to be limited to the specific form or arrangementherein described and shown. It will be apparent to those skilled in theart that various changes may be made without departing from the scope ofthe invention and the invention is not to be considered limited to whatis shown and described in the specification and any drawings/figuresincluded herein.

One skilled in the art will readily appreciate that the presentinvention is well adapted to carry out the objectives and obtain theends and advantages mentioned, as well as those inherent therein. Theembodiments, methods, procedures and techniques described herein arepresently representative of the preferred embodiments, are intended tobe exemplary, and are not intended as limitations on the scope. Changestherein and other uses will occur to those skilled in the art which areencompassed within the spirit of the invention and are defined by thescope of the appended claims. Although the invention has been describedin connection with specific preferred embodiments, it should beunderstood that the invention as claimed should not be unduly limited tosuch specific embodiments. Indeed, various modifications of thedescribed modes for carrying out the invention which are obvious tothose skilled in the art are intended to be within the scope of thefollowing claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A system for use with soft tops in vehicles,comprising: a crossbar; and a bow top clip comprising a first end, asecond end, and a main body extending the distance between said firstend and said second end, said main body configured to engage with, mounton, or secure to at least a portion of a vehicle, said bow top clip mainbody comprises a crossbar receiving structure comprising a housing unitwhich extends outwardly or away from an outer surface of said main body,said housing unit constructed and arranged to receive and secure thereina first portion of said crossbar.
 2. The system for use with soft topsin vehicles according to claim 1, wherein said vehicle bow top clip mainbody is curved.
 3. The system for use with soft tops in vehiclesaccording to claim 2, wherein said vehicle bow top clip main body has aconcave curvature, thus assuming a C-shape or partial C-shapeconfiguration.
 4. The system for use with soft tops in vehiclesaccording to claim 1, wherein said vehicle bow top clip main body ismade of a flexible or semi-flexible material.
 5. The system for use withsoft tops in vehicles according to claim 1, wherein said vehicle bow topclip main body comprises at least one cut out or channel.
 6. The systemfor use with soft tops in vehicles according to claim 1, wherein saidvehicle bow top clip main body is sized and shaped to snap fit orfrictional fit with said at least a portion of said vehicle.
 7. Thesystem for use with soft tops in vehicles according to claim 1, whereinsaid crossbar is flexible or bendable.
 8. The system for use with softtops in vehicles according to claim 1, further including a securingmember configured to secure said main body to said at least a portion ofa vehicle.
 9. The system for use with soft tops in vehicles according toclaim 8, wherein said securing member is a strip of material having atleast one securing mechanism.
 10. The system for use with soft tops invehicles according to claim 9, wherein said at least one securingmechanism is a loop or hook fastening member.
 11. The system for usewith soft tops in vehicles according to claim 1, wherein said housingunit comprises a slotted opening sized and shaped to receive at least aportion of said crossbar.
 12. The system for use with soft tops invehicles according to 1, wherein said housing unit comprises an interiorregion sized and shaped to receive and store therein at least a portionof said crossbar.
 13. The system for use with soft tops in vehiclesaccording to claim 1, further including a second bow top clip comprisinga first end, a second end, and a main body extending the distancebetween said first end and said second end, said second bow top clipmain body configured to engage with, mount on, or secure to at least asecond portion of a vehicle, said second bow top clip main bodycomprises a second bow top clip crossbar receiving structure comprisinga housing unit which extends outwardly or away from an outer surface ofsaid second bow top clip main body, said second bow top clip main bodyhousing unit constructed and arranged to receive and secure therein asecond portion of said crossbar.
 14. The system for use with soft topsin vehicles according to claim 13, further including a second securingmember configured to secure said second bow top clip main body to saidsecond portion of a vehicle.
 15. A system for use with soft tops invehicles, comprising: a first bow top clip comprising a first end, asecond end, and a main body extending the distance between said firstend and said second end, said main body configured to engage with, mounton, or secure to at least a first portion of a vehicle; a second bow topclip comprising a first end, a second end, and a main body extending thedistance between said first end and said second end, said main bodyconfigured to engage with, mount on, or secure to at least a secondportion of a vehicle; a crossbar.
 16. The system for use with soft topsin vehicles according to claim 15, wherein, said first vehicle bow topclip main body comprises a cross member receiving structure, said firstvehicle bow top clip cross member receiving structure configured toreceive and secure therein at least a first portion of said crossbartherein; and said second vehicle bow top clip main body comprises across member receiving structure, said second vehicle bow top clip crossmember receiving structure configured to receive and secure therein atleast a second portion of said crossbar, said first portion of saidcrossbar being different than said second portion of said crossbar. 17.The system for use with soft tops in vehicles according to claim 15,wherein said crossbar has a length that is longer than the distancebetween where the said first bow top clip main body engages with, mountson, or secures to said at least first portion of a vehicle and wheresaid second bow top clip main body engages with, mounts on, or securesto said at least second portion of a vehicle.